There is a need for a device which can be used to very accurately position heavy objects over a greater range than heretofore possible and secure those objects in position without introducing stresses or strains to that object. One use for such a device is to position a mirror for a laser so accurately that the laser can be used to hit a small target at long range.
In order to accomplish this degree of accuracy and strain-free positioning, a kinematic mount must be employed. A body has six degrees of freedom which must be controlled. These are translation along the three rectangular coordinate axes and rotation about these axes.
To accurately position an object, a mount should have as few parts as possible. Too many parts may over constrain the object, unnecessarily complicating the positioning of the object and introducing position errors due to the tolerances of interconnecting parts.